Wisconsin man sentenced to 7 years for arson attack on congressman's office over TikTok ban

Caiden Stachowicz pleaded no contest to arson charge for trying to set fire to Rep. Glenn Grothman's office in Fond du Lac

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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A 20-year-old Wisconsin man named Caiden Stachowicz was sentenced to 7 years in prison for attempting to set fire to the office of Republican U.S. Congressman Glenn Grothman in Fond du Lac. Stachowicz told police he was angry that Grothman had voted for a bill requiring TikTok's Chinese owner to sell off its U.S. operations, which Stachowicz believed violated his constitutional rights.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing tensions around technology policy and the potential for political violence, as well as the challenges lawmakers face in balancing national security concerns with individual rights and freedoms.

The details

According to the criminal complaint, Stachowicz initially planned to break into Grothman's office and start a fire inside, but was unable to break the window. Instead, he poured gasoline on an electrical box and around the front of the building, lit a match, and watched it burn. Stachowicz told police he didn't want to hurt anyone, but was angry about the TikTok ban and Grothman's vote in favor of it.

  • On January 19, 2025, Stachowicz allegedly attempted to set fire to Grothman's office.
  • In November 2025, Stachowicz pleaded no contest to an arson charge.
  • On March 5, 2026, Stachowicz was sentenced to 7 years in prison and 7 years of extended supervision.

The players

Caiden Stachowicz

A 20-year-old man from Menasha, Wisconsin who pleaded no contest to an arson charge for attempting to set fire to Congressman Glenn Grothman's office.

Rep. Glenn Grothman

A Republican U.S. Congressman representing Wisconsin's 6th congressional district, who voted for a bill requiring TikTok's Chinese owner to sell off its U.S. operations.

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What they’re saying

“He told the officer that he started the fire because he doesn't like Grothman.”

— Caiden Stachowicz (Houston Chronicle)

“He said he wanted to burn down the office because the federal government was shutting down TikTok in violation of his constitutional rights and peace was not longer an option.”

— Caiden Stachowicz (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge's sentencing of Stachowicz to 7 years in prison and 7 years of extended supervision concludes the criminal case.

The takeaway

This case underscores the need for lawmakers to carefully balance national security concerns with individual rights and freedoms when crafting technology policies, as well as the potential for such policies to incite political violence from those who feel their rights are being violated.